To snail or not to snail?

[ExoticAquarist]

Hi AA, I would love to get snails, but I've heard they can overpopulate a tank faster than guppies. What are some easy to keep snails that won't breed like crazy? Would my fish eat the eggs? I would really like to get apple snails or a snail that I saw once that was yellowish orange with a dark brown cone shaped shell. I'm an invert beginner here, sorry!


29 gallon community
10 gallon gertrudae rainbow W.I.P.

 

[PassengerTN]

I have two "mystery snails" (labeled as this) from petsmart in my 29g. Been with me for many months now and haven't reproduced at all

 

[t4runnr]

If you want snails that won't reproduce, look into nerite snails. They will leave eggs but they won't hatch unless the water is brackish.

The eggs can be unsightly to some but I've seen my gbr, angelfish, and Amano shrimp picking at them at times.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Kazin]

Funny you should ask...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f129/to-snail-or-not-to-snail-334460.html

 

[ExoticAquarist]

Haha! What a coincidence. Great minds think alike I guess.


29 gallon community
10 gallon gertrudae rainbow W.I.P.

 

[Finian]

I agree with t4runnr. I had four nerite snails (down to one now, old age got the others) and they never reproduced, just laid eggs. I was skeptical of getting snails too but someone told me about these and they've been awesome.

45 gal. freshwater and 10 gal. female betta tanks

 

[Kazin]

I'm thinking of getting a nerite. Do they really lay eggs on the glass and are they hard to remove? Do shrimp ever eat the eggs or do you have to scrape them off?

 

[ZoePets]

I've had two nerites, not at the same time. Neither laid eggs on the glass. Maybe because I only had one at a time.

With live plants though, aren't you eventually going to get some sort of snail accidentally? I recently got staurogyne, and got some "free" ramshorn snails!

I figure I'd leave them so they help clean the algae. My nerite apparently isn't that great of a cleaner. If they start to overrun the tank, there's plenty of DIY traps to catch them & keep the population down.